City Ponders Future Use of Wolf Housen Houses Local History Museum

The city will winterize and shut down the Wolf House, 206 West Union, for the winter giving officials time to determine the future use of the building.

The former residence houses the Meramec Valley History Museum, which the city owns and operates.

Officials previously agreed to sell the building to St. Bridget Catholic Church for expansion of the parish elementary school and move the museum, along with a new welcome center, into the Hoven house, 115 West Osage.

Museum volunteers have packed up the historical items for an impending move.

When the sale of the Wolf property fell through and the city found itself with two former residential buildings, officials decided to put the Hoven property on the market and placed a 90-day request for bids on the building.

During a presentation on a proposed welcome center, Pauline Masson, committee chair, said it had been the consensus of the committee that a more practical building for a combination welcome center/history museum would be the Red Cedar Inn, which is currently for sale.

“We devised the business plan so that it could be put into effect in any building,” Masson said.

Adams said he is hopeful that some sort of partnership could be put together for the development and operation of a welcome center.

Previous attempts for the city to buy the Red Cedar, although supported by citizens, have failed.

“We’re not going to do anything in the museum building until spring,” Alderman Mike Pigg said, “so it makes sense to close it down.”

Alderman Walter Arnette said the city should go ahead and replace the furnace in the building, which would cost approximately $9,000.

But Tim Baker, chairman of the city’s tourism commission, asked aldermen to consider buying one building to serve both purposes.

“As the chair of the tourism commission I see where the tourism tax money goes and the number of requests there are for funds,” Baker said. “I say, instead of spending $9,000 on a building that you may be selling in a few months, put that money toward a building that will serve the purpose of a welcome center/museum.”

Adams said the city is temporarily committed to selling the Hoven property.

“We can’t go forward with any plans for a welcome center until the 90 days are up,” Adams said.